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ZEISS ZX1 Digital Camera

BH #ZEZX1 • MFR #2276-042
ZEISS ZX1 Digital Camera
Key Features
  • 37.4MP Full-Frame CMOS Sensor
  • ZEISS Distagon T* 35mm f/2 Lens
  • Integrated Adobe Photoshop Lightroom CC
  • Leaf Shutter and Physical Exposure Dials
Modeled after the ethos "Shoot, Edit, Share", the ZEISS ZX1 is a truly innovative camera with an uncompromising position on all facets of photography. Sporting a full-frame sensor for capturing high-resolution imagery, the ZX1 is further distinguished by built-in Adobe Photoshop Lightroom for in-camera editing via the large touchscreen monitor, and Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and a USB Type-C port then let you immediately share your results with the world.
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ZEISS ZX1 Overview

Modeled after the ethos "Shoot, Edit, Share", the ZEISS ZX1 is a truly innovative camera with an uncompromising position on all facets of photography. Sporting a full-frame sensor for capturing high-resolution imagery, the ZX1 is further distinguished by built-in Adobe Photoshop Lightroom for in-camera editing via the large touchscreen monitor, and Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and a USB Type-C port then let you immediately share your results with the world.

Designed first to be a camera to appeal to the purists, the ZX1 revolves around a full-frame 37.4MP CMOS sensor, which affords clear, high-res stills shooting along with UHD 4K video recording, along with a broad sensitivity range of ISO 80-51200 to suit working in various lighting conditions. Paired perfectly to the sensor is a ZEISS Distagon T* 35mm f/2 prime lens, whose general wide-angle field of view suits a broad range of shooting applications, from reportage to landscape to portraiture. Building off this foundation, the ZX1 allows for intuitive and seamless shooting control, favoring simple physical dials and rings for adjusting exposure and employing a leaf shutter design for inconspicuous performance.

Benefitting the efficient imaging capabilities is a high-resolution OLED electronic viewfinder and an especially large 4.3" rear touchscreen LCD. The EVF has a 0.74x magnification and Full HD resolution for bright, clear viewing while shooting. Conversely, the expansive size of the rear LCD is well-suited to image navigation and in-camera image editing via built-in Adobe Lightroom. This advanced editing application lets you make both global and local edits efficiently, and will sync automatically with Lightroom CC on your computer. The ZX1 includes a 12-month subscription to Lightroom CC, after which regular subscription rates will apply.

Finally, helping to organize and get your images out into the world, the ZX1 is outfitted with a slew of connectivity options, ranging from Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to a USB Type-C connector for offloading directly to an external hard drive. In terms of saving imagery on the camera, a built-in 512GB SSD offers an impressive amount of storage space for your photos and videos, along with the possibility to organize files into collections for faster navigation.

Shoot
  • Full-frame 37.4MP CMOS sensor enables recording high-resolution stills and UHD 4K30 video, along with a sensitivity range of ISO 80-51200.
  • Built-in ZEISS Distagon T* 35mm f/2 lens has been perfectly matched to the sensor in order to provide edge-to-edge sharpness and illumination. The bright f/2 maximum aperture is suitable for low-light shooting and also offers increased control over depth of field.
  • Leaf shutter design provides flash sync at all shutter speeds up to 1/1000 sec and allows for especially quiet shooting.
  • A hybrid phase-/contrast-detection AF system can be used in conjunction with either single-shot or continuous AF modes, or DMF and MF modes can also be used.
  • Physical shutter speed and ISO dials, along with a manual aperture ring on the lens, afford direct, intuitive control over exposure settings.
  • High-resolution 0.7" OLED electronic viewfinder has a Full HD resolution along with a 0.74x magnification for clear, bright viewing.
  • Rear LCD incorporates a side tool bar for quick switching between four distinct camera modes.
  • Top hot shoe is compatible with the Sigma TTL flash protocol.
Edit
  • Based on a large, 4.34" rear LCD screen, on-the-fly image editing is possible. The HD (1280 x 720) screen has a 338 ppi resolution and is touch-sensitive for intuitive navigation and editing control. The spacious screen is also the perfect place for in-depth review of your imagery while out shooting.
  • The distinct shape of the camera body, which has a bend in the middle, allows for an easy-to-find groove in the screen where the touch-sensitive tool bar is located.
  • Integrated Adobe Photoshop Lightroom CC allows for thorough editing capabilities directly on the camera. This sophisticated software lets you adjust everything from exposure and color to making selective edits or syncing your edits to Lightroom CC on your computer. Some editing features will require a separate Adobe Creative Cloud subscription for use.
Share
  • A wide range of sharing capabilities are possible, including both wireless and wired means to help you quickly and efficiently get your photos out to the world.
  • Built-in Wi-Fi with NFC and Bluetooth connectivity let you seamlessly share images directly from the camera to a linked device.
  • USB Type-C interface can be used to port images directly to an external hard drive, share a live view of the camera to an additional screen, or an external battery pack can be used to power and charge the internal battery.
  • Integrated 512GB SSD allows for storing a huge amount of photo and movie files without the need to swap memory cards. On the camera, files can be organized into different collections for easier navigation.
  • Wireless connectivity lets you upload your files to cloud storage services directly from the camera.
  • Automatic backups are possible to your own NAS system and remote access to the files is also available from wherever you are.
  • Firmware updates can be downloaded over-the-air (OTA) and installed while on-the-go.

ZEISS ZX1Specs

Key Specs
Sensor Resolution
Actual: 39.5 Megapixel
Effective: 37.4 Megapixel (7488 x 4992)
Focal Length
35mm
Maximum Aperture
f/2
Internal Recording Modes
H.264/MP4
1920 x 1080p up to 59.94 fps
H.265/MP4
UHD 4K (3840 x 2160) up to 29.97 fps
Wireless
Bluetooth, Wi-Fi
Display Size
4.34"
Display Type
Fixed Touchscreen LCD
Built-In Flash/Light
No
Battery Type
1x Rechargeable Lithium-Ion, 3190 VDC
Dimensions (W x H x D)
5.6 x 3.7 x 3.7" / 142 x 93 x 94 mm
Weight
1.8 lb / 837 g (With Battery)
Imaging
Sensor Resolution
Actual: 39.5 Megapixel
Effective: 37.4 Megapixel (7488 x 4992)
Sensor Type
24 x 36 mm (Full-Frame) CMOS
Lens
Focal Length
35mm
Maximum Aperture
f/2
Minimum Aperture
f/22
Focus Range
Normal
11.81" to Infinity / 30 cm to Infinity
Filter Size
52 mm (Front)
Exposure Control
Shutter Speed
Mechanical Shutter
1/2000 to 30 Seconds
ISO Sensitivity Range
80 to 51,200
Metering Method
Center-Weighted Average, Multi, Spot
Exposure Modes
Aperture Priority, Manual, Program, Shutter Priority
Exposure Compensation
-3 to +3 EV (1/3 EV Steps)
White Balance
Presets: Auto, Cloudy, Color Temperature, Daylight, Fluorescent (White), Manual, Shade, Tungsten
Interval Recording
Yes
Self-Timer
2/10-Second Delay
Special Options
Panorama
Still Image Capture
Aspect Ratio
3:2
Image File Format
DNG, JPEG
Video Capture
Internal Recording Modes
H.264/MP4
1920 x 1080p up to 59.94 fps
H.265/MP4
UHD 4K (3840 x 2160) up to 29.97 fps
Broadcast Output
NTSC/PAL
IP Streaming
No
Built-In Microphone
Stereo
Audio Recording
AAC Audio
Interface
Media/Memory Card Slot
No
Internal Memory
512 GB
Video I/O
No
Audio I/O
No
Power I/O
No
Other I/O
1x USB-C (USB 3.2 / 3.1 Gen 2) Data Output
Wireless
Bluetooth, Wi-Fi
Global Positioning (GPS, GLONASS, etc.)
No
Monitor
Display Size
4.34"
Resolution
1280 x 720
Display Type
Fixed Touchscreen LCD
Viewfinder
Type
Built-In Electronic (OLED)
Coverage
100%
Magnification
Approx. 0.74x
Diopter Adjustment
-3 to +3
Flash
Built-In Flash/Light
No
External Flash Connection
Shoe Mount
General
Battery Type
1x Rechargeable Lithium-Ion, 3190 VDC
Dimensions (W x H x D)
5.6 x 3.7 x 3.7" / 142 x 93 x 94 mm
Weight
1.8 lb / 837 g (With Battery)
Packaging Info
Package Weight
6.2 lb
Box Dimensions (LxWxH)
8.9 x 8.8 x 6.7"

ZEISS ZX1 Reviews

Excellent hardware

By Suria
Rated 1 out of 5
Date: 2021-01-29

As the headline implied, that’s it. The Adobe is ok, but everything is running slow on this cam. Easier to snap and transfer to phone to edit. Reliability also an issue where the cam running into loop when boot up and there is no way to reset and get to the photos inside.

An instructional manual would be nice.

By Ralph
Rated 3 out of 5
Date: 2020-11-26

I’ve had this camera two days, and it’s by sheer luck that I can find my way around in the menus at all. If the Zeiss ZX1 is intuitive, then I must be the village idiot. Which, come to think of it, probably isn’t too far off the mark! Without the manual, however, the ZX1 is serving me well as a glorified paperweight. I haven’t taken it out to shoot even once.

It's a good start

By gregory
Rated 3 out of 5
Date: 2020-11-19

The Zeiss ZX1 is at best a slow point and shoot. The problem is that you have the Leica Q2 to compare it too. Pros:  1. Awesome ergonomics - handholding is fun. 2. Lots of memory to store your photos on the camera 3. Excellent battery life when not editing 4. Zeiss image quality is very good Cons: 1. Battery gets hot too quickly 2. Battery gets drained quickly when using built in Lightroom 3. No external charger, you have to charge with the battery in the camera  4. Slow to start up unless you put it in standby mode 5. Not worth $6,000 knowing that the Leica Q2 is far superior 6. Menus are not easy to navigate

Unfortunately not ready for primetime

By Ronald
Rated 2 out of 5
Date: 2020-11-16

I really wanted to like this camera. I love my Leica Q2 but saw a potential replacement in this camera, after long wanting to see innovation such as was promised by Zeiss in this model. The process of either pairing current cameras with smartphones or transferring images you want to edit quickly and share via card is in dire need of a refresh. The ergonomics of the camera are fantastic. I LOVED holding it. The separate dials and their placement are great. The use of the bent screen for navigating key shooting menus, while shooting with your eye to the viewfinder, is horrendous, though. Does not work fluidly at all and I have thin fingers and am pretty young and smartphone-adept. Image quality is OK but unremarkable. Same with autofocus but the lack of face/eye detect, in what seems to be primarily a camera with which to photograph people, is an incredible omission. The EVF exhibits odd banding artifacts at all ISOs in low light, but that banding (different from phase-detect AF banding) doesn't transmit to the photo. It's very annoying, though. When run in photo mode for about 20 minutes, the camera gets almost too hot to hold on the left side, if you're holding it with two hands.  Navigating the Android menus and editing in camera are just as frustrating as trying to manipulate shooting menus. The screen, while big by camera standards, isn't large and responsive enough for everything to work smoothly. I'm rather shocked this camera was released, although perhaps attempting to work out these kinks is what delayed it two years. Very sadly, this camera is made in China. I was hoping that for this price, a German company would make the camera in Germany or at least somewhere in the EU, or at least do enough of the last stage of assembly in Germany. Nope. Shame on you, Zeiss.

ZX1 is a great camera!

By Donald
Rated 5 out of 5
Date: 2021-01-11

I have had this camera for about 2 months now. I think it is wonderful. It is well-made, fits nicely in my hand and is very easy to use. It takes great photos and has an excellent lens that shows great bokeh. It is very quiet too, if you want to do street photography. There are some nay-sayers above who say it's hard to use . . it is not. They say battery life is poor . . . it's not. I am an equipment junkie and I have a Nikon D5, a Leica SL2, a Leica M10, a Leica CL, and a Leica Q in my stable. The Zeiss is a welcome addition to the pack.

Looks great for a camera not made in Germany.

By Kevin
Rated 2 out of 5
Date: 2020-12-04

I used the camera for a week. It has shiny and industrial looks while being difficult to operate. Navigating the shooting and playback menus is non intuitive and glitchy. The shiny touchscreen requires a stylus for proper input. The battery life is poor even though it is large. The Lightroom in camera seems to be an ultra light version of the iOS app which requires a monthly $10 Adobe subscription to operate. For $6000 Zeiss could’ve included a free Lightroom subscription with perpetual access since the camera was not made in Germany. Disappointing experience with the camera however B&H were kind enough to accept a return and refund the entire amount. Thank you B&H

See any errors on this page? Let us know

Who manufactures the digital sensor for the ZX1? ...

Who manufactures the digital sensor for the ZX1? Is it a larger company, or a smaller manufacturer like CMOSIS?
Asked by: Gregory
"The ZEISS ZX1 Camera uses a new digital sensor designed by ZEISS." is a slight (or large) exageration/ distorted answer ' answer to a different question. Much like Nikon's sensors used to be designed by Nikon BUT manufactured by Sony.
Answered by: Andre
Date published: 2020-10-30

Is there a monochrom mode in the camera settings?

Is there a monochrom mode in the camera settings?
Asked by: gregory
There is no specific camera setting on the ZEISS ZX1 for monochrome, but the image can be edited using Adobe Lightroom which is installed in the camera
Answered by: ZEISS Camera Lenses
Date published: 2020-11-02

How do you control the exp. comp. on this camera? ...

How do you control the exp. comp. on this camera? Many cameras have a dedicated knob for this, but since this cameara doesn't seem to have many external controls or dials, I wonder how exp. is done?
Asked by: David
Exposure comp is done through the camera's menu.
Answered by: Rob
Date published: 2022-09-19

What are the macro capabilities of this camera?

What are the macro capabilities of this camera?
Asked by: Scott
It will allow you to focus from 11.8" for a 1:7.2 ratio.
Answered by: Reuben
Date published: 2020-01-02

What is the ZX1's color depth? 14 or 16 bit?

What is the ZX1's color depth? 14 or 16 bit?
Asked by: William
14 bit.
Answered by: Rob
Date published: 2020-11-01

I was wondering if the ZX1 will include a Snap ...

I was wondering if the ZX1 will include a Snap Focus setting feature like in the Ricoh GRII and the Fujifilm XF10? I think the addition of this simple feature would make the ZX1 even more attractive to street photographers.
Asked by: Ed
This feature is currently not included in the ZEISS ZX-1 Camera.
Answered by: ZEISS Camera Lenses
Date published: 2022-09-19

Is the low pass filter removed from the sensor.?

Is the low pass filter removed from the sensor.?
Asked by: Bradley
The ZEISS ZX1 camera does not utilize a low pass filter on the sensor.
Answered by: ZEISS Camera Lenses
Date published: 2020-10-30

Does it have image stabilization?

Does it have image stabilization?
Asked by: Jose
No, the ZEISS ZX1 Digital Camera does not have built-in image stabilization.
Answered by: Manzell
Date published: 2021-07-22
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